Goose Bay to Narsarsuaq, 24th August 2017

As you all know by now, flying, even when fatigued, doesn't bother me at all. Of course when you have to fly an airliner 4 legs a day and be responsible for the safety of all passengers you have to limit yourself to the federal limitations and also look at your personal fitness level. If you cannot deal with it then you have to call unfit to fly. 

In our operation with the the DC-3, the stamina level is so high you might actually think you are OK to fly although you feel tired. So when I woke up this morning of the 24th August under a thick fog layer, I wasn't ready for more sleep. In the contrary, with only 4 hours of sleep I've never felt more ready to wake up and fly!

Great help from these guys at Woodward

Not looking tired at all...

Little did I know at that time that I would visit this place again 2 years after for an other Atlantic crossing with a US airplane and its crew, going for a stroll across to celebrate the 75th D-Day anniversary.
So back on track and this time for THIS crossing. We prepared thoroughly our HB-IRJ in order to set up our two GNS430 GPSs and the third VFR GNS 695 that enables us to navigate with a fantastic terrain database. It wasn't really helpful crossing the Pacific as well...you mostly have water and our destination Shemya was a small flat island but here, going towards Greenland we surely preferred to have this backup. 
Anyway, the crew and bags on board, it was time to ask for the oceanic clearance departing CYYR (Happy Valley/Goose Bay) towards BGBW (Narsarsuaq). All levels at or above FL060 require a clearance, a routing, a speed or for those flying above a Mach number to keep and an HF radio. Those very specific requirements enable radio operator to communicate with airplane in non VHF environment but the radio is of very bad quality. For those who want more theory behind this, please visit this wikipedia link .
Basically we agreed on the route and speed and level but hey, no radar means we can navigate according the freezing level. Safety first. 
After getting through the fog layer, here is the amazing sunrise in front of us. Flying east towards the sun, a beautiful sight.

During that crossing we weren't a tiny bit worried about endurance or payload as we didn't need our special bladder tanks like during the pacific crossing. however we encountered some weather enroute, especially approaching the greenland coast. As some of you might know, we check METARs and TAFs before we fly. Those TAFs are generally quite accurate in most part of the World whereas the ones issued for Greenland can change completely avec short after being issued. The one we had called for a nice scattered clouds at hight altitude for our arrival time. This is what we had only about 80 miles ashore.

Pretty much scary isn't it? At our low altitude we weren't able to speak to any controller from Narsarsuaq nor on VHF to Gander or Nuuk. Therefore we tried on 123.45 the international chatter frequency. An American Airlines hight above us got our request finally and was able to relay our demand for some weather update. To our relief, the actual weather at destination wasn't too bad. After some 20 minutes we finally came out of the worst weather and the coast appeared ahead in our line of sight.

The glaciers that span mostly north of Narsarsuaq bring some cold air downstream from their ice cap and for that reason, moisture usually form as fog patches along the fjords. Luckily we made it just before rain came and bad weather would force us for a two nights stop. 

Getting into the fjord. To the far end you have to be careful and choose the correct valley otherwise you might get stuck

Go right! Left could be the shorter way but cables and a mountain pass would have blocked us

A nice waterfall with some ice cubes, whiskey anyone?? ;-)

The runway is pretty long but the approach type in BGBW if you have to fly IFR can make a big challenge especially in a DC-3. Here is the approach plate.

Performance wise our DC-3 would have some troubles to fly the missed approach

We were able to make a visual approach, coming in to land for a short final after a crooked right base. What a feeling. Landing onto the base called Bluie West 1 during WW2. At that time airplanes weren't able to fly across the Atlantic without an intermediate stop enroute between Canada, the USA and Iceland. Mostly had a stopover in Nars as they called internally or Bluie West 1 as it was officially called to prevent giving up names to the enemy. After landing, Bob, who was carrying bags more than a 747 can carry and our troop deplaned, heading towards our nice place for two nights, the...you named it, Narsarsuaq Hotel!

Glace sandwichs mineral Wasser!

It is a land of desolation for a person like us. Nevertheless it is such a cool place to relax, go on tours to discover the area and make huge treks in Greenland. Our tight schedule did not allow us to do much as we had to plan our next flight but on the "off" day we saw some incredible landscape. See you tomorrow!

Teterboro - Québec - Goose Bay, 23rd August 2017

Good morning everyone, this is the day we leave New York!

On the ramp at TEB

It was not so sure we would be able to enjoy the day in the air that much initially. In fact some big thunderstorms were arriving the night before and fortunately passed over quicker than planned so the next day a tad bit cooler air was flowing from the north east and clearer than planned sky welcomed us at Teterboro (TEB) Signature flight support. We also met Bob, an American gentleman who made his fortune in Treadmills and Bio food. I will not say his age here but to let you know, he was already a 10 years old child when the DC-3 first made his maiden flight. In shape he is!

It was a nice feeling to be back at the controls of HB-IRJ, was missing the traditional sound of its two Pratt 1830-92, each pulling us with 1200 horse power. 

Loaded up and fuelled for our leg towards Québec Jean Lesage we departed TEB runway 01 for some beautiful landscape over the Appalaches range.

Overhead Albany

The approach at Québec was a reminder for both Francisco and I about our flying in Canada. Francisco did his licences here in the 90's and I had the chance to fly an International Air Rally back in 2004 with Samuel, who will be my best man for our wedding planned in February 2018. It is also with a good laugh that we listen to Québec airport ATIS (Automated Terminal Information Service) in french, stating the different clouds present within the Terminal Control Area of the airport. They have a translation for everything.

South side of the St-Lawrence river

Approaching the airport area, good memories

After a windy approach and a well deserved stop for lunch at nearby Archibald micro brewery, we went back to the airport and refuelled for what would be also a memorable trip along the St-Lawrence river direction Sept-Îles and then Goose Bay. 

Goose Bay is a well know airport for the actual pilots who fly small airplane across the Atlantic as a well deserved and maintained airfield. It is a military base and therefore its runway and apron are free of snow year round and the supply of Avgas, oil, maintenance and hotel accommodation is plenty. Our flight time between Québec and Goose Bay was estimated to approximately 4h10 minutes. A fairly long flight finally. Weather was good, windy but fair and only upon approaching Goose Bay did we encounter some thunderstorms close to the approach course. We had to ask for radar vectors and fly and IFR approach to brake out of rain and clouds at 1500 feet/450 meters above the ground. By the time we landed it was completely dark outside and both the runway without center light and the dark apron was a surprise to us. We parked the airplane, went to the nearby shop to rent our dinghies and installed the small bladder tank for an extra 45 minutes of Avgas for our next day crossing. In Goose Bay Greg will leave us and fly back to his next adventure, it would be not before Reykjavik that we will meet him again. 

Those pictures show the spirit of the flight.

Markus taping up the scoops to avoid cold air

Departing towards Québec old city

Old Town and harbour 

Far end, Montmorency waterfall and the Orléans Island

Friends have a Bed and Breakfast just there

Thousands lakes

The front is approaching

Markus looks upon us and our tired eyes!!

Getting back on the Continent for some more epic flights

It was finally time to be close to HB-IRJ again. Before meeting up with Francisco and Gaby who flew her from Boston to Teterboro, Marie and I were enjoying a full week of holidays that took us from New York towards Boston along the coast. A fantastic trip with some funny memories. Notwithstanding the fact that on August 15, our first day in New York, I invited Marie to the Rainbow Room on 65th Floor of Rockefeller Center. A small ring was hidden inside her purse and we got engaged that night.

On top of the Rock! 65th Floor, what a view

We got engaged!

After our tour on the east coast and a fantastic two days stay in Boston, it was time to fly back to New York for me and to Geneva for Marie. Interestingly, our two planes were departing just minutes appart, I was able to accompany my future wife to her departure gate, thanks to the kind TSA agent and thereafter join my gate for the United flight to Newark. I chose Newark in New Jersey rather than JFK in New York for the simple fact that HB-IRJ was stationed at Teterboro which lies a couple miles away from EWR (Newark). A short cab drive away and here I was with our Breitling Team, Francisco, Gaby, Greg and I. They just completed an amazing flight over the Hudson river, fortunately not splashing like Captain Sullenberger in 2009. Here are a couple shots from their exploit

Francisco flying over Manhattan, picture taken by Gaby!

During the approach to EWR, we made a pass over Teterboro airfield and I could clearly see HB-IRJ waiting for departure of runway 19 behind the Bonanza used for the photo shooting.

Look at the 9 o'clock position before the runway

The next day we met Mireille and Markus, two Aviation passionate persons who also work for the Super Constellation Flyers association in Switzerland and who were our guest as passengers across the futur ocean crossing we had ahead of us. They joined us that evening of the 22nd August in central New York at the Breitling shop where a big event was held. Many watch collectors were invited and we could have some nice conversations with them about what we already did across the Pacific and what were the challenges and difficulties of flying such an old bird across the World. We also went to Time Square to shoot some cool pictures wearing our full uniforms! Time Square where Marie and I were exactly 1 week before ;-)

Gaby and I

Mireille and Markus

Wearing our uniforms on Time Square!

After this photo shooting where Céline, Francisco's girlfriend joined us, we all went back to eat something and off to bed for the next day's departure eastbound, as always!